Fun Summer Projects

Let’s Talk About FUN Summer Learning!

I know, I know, summer is here and the kids need down time to relax and have fun. I agree, giving kids time to explore their loves and interests is very important to me … and to them, but for how long? Summers sometimes drag on after the initial excitement, so what’s a mom to do? Join Felice as she discusses fun activities for the children that center around learning (shhhh!) and you’ll be surprised at the outcome.

Melting Crayons – take broken crayons and melt them in the oven in muffin tins using paper liners. (These stink!!) Keep the area well ventilated – cool and remove paper before using.

Puzzles – have the children draw a picture and cut it out in puzzle shapes and have them put it together – or make your own – use coloring book pages -art lessons

Jelly Jar Crafts – use ripped pieces of tissue paper and white glue – paint brush – use empty jelly jars or any type of glass jars and “paint” triangles or squares on the outside – fill with some sand and a small tea-candle. Fun table decoration. You can do this for holidays – like the Fourth of July using red white and blue

Business/ Entrepreneur

Selling lemonade -lemonade stand – etc.

Create a website – learn how to put up a website using a template on WordPress or learn to html code (or older students).

Fix or repair and sell

Write a book for sale

Host a play and collect food cans for the needy – donate to a soup kitchen

Health/ Healthy Eating

Safety rules – understanding water safety

Teach about repellants that are safe – such as Terrashield essential oils by Doterra

Time to learn new things – cooking

Sun cooking – make s’more’s using the sun to melt the chocolate

Fruit kabobs – have the kids make their own – use this as well for griling meats such as chicken

Math

Collections – bug collections – butterflies – pressed flowers

See how high you can count and other number contests – such as skipping rope – how many times can you jump without stopping or messing up.

Games that help with math such as card games

How many ____ can you count? How many red trucks, green items, etc.

Mental math – give each other problems to do in your head without pencil and paper. Do not keep score at first, then keep score to see how has the most correct.

Play/Drama

Dress up – let the kids use their imaginations

Create your own play and act it out – use backdrops drawn (art)

Characterization – imitate your favorite story book character and take turns guessing who this is.

Practice public speaking. Do impromptu speeches using real life situations.

Practice the correct responses. For example, you get the wrong food at a restaurant, what do you say.

Answering the phone – what is the correct and incorrect way to answer a phone.

Create a short commercial – either a 30 second or 60 second commercial. Record this on a digital device and play it back. How did you do?

Create a podcast. What would your topic be? What would you say?

Geography

Scavenger hunts – geocaching

Create a map using your memory – start small – try to map out the backyard, the neighborhood, the way to church, grocery store, etc.

See if you can draw a US or World Map!

Buried treasure – hide a “treasure” typically something small and give someone verbal instructions on how to find it, using north, south, east and west – right and left, etc.

Reading

Select Fun Reading Books – List Here – Give awards or sign up for Pizza Hut or Library Rewards Program – or “Reading with the Rays” or other baseball reading incentive baseball programs.

At home contests – how many books can you read in a week, a month, etc.

Create a reading place – somewhere to go when you read a favorite book.